UPDATED Students across Southwest London celebrated extraordinary A-Level results yesterday, with schools in Putney, Roehampton, and Southfields delivering some of the country’s most impressive academic achievements.
The area’s elite institutions have significantly outperformed national averages. We will update this page as school-specific results come in.
Ibstock Place School: Roehampton Excellence
Ibstock Place School in Roehampton achieved exceptional results with over half of entries at top grades:
| Grade Level | Ibstock Place Result |
|---|---|
| A*-A grades | 52% |
| A*-B grades | 85% |
| Russell Group destinations | Over 80% of leavers |
Perfect Subject Performance:
- 100% A*-A: Religious Studies and Latin
- 100% A*-B: Art, English, Further Maths, German, and History
Outstanding Individual Achievements:
Polly: 3 A*s (English Literature, Music, Psychology) → Manchester Music
Conor: 4 A*s (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science) → Oxford Mathematics
Oliver: 4 A*s (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science) → Imperial Design Engineering
Finley: 4 A*s (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computing) → Imperial Computing
Putney High School: Record-Breaking Achievement
Putney High School surpassed its previous record of 41% A* grades (2024) with exceptional 2025 results:
| Grade Level | Putney High Result |
|---|---|
| A* grades | 38% |
| A*-A grades | 78% |
| A*-B grades | 93% |
Outstanding Subject Performance:
- 100% A* in Art, DT Product Design, German, and Greek
- 100% A*-A in Italian, Drama, History of Art, and Further Mathematics
- 92% A-A in History; 91% A-A in Geography
- Nearly 1 in 5 students achieved three A*s or more
University Destinations: UCL, Edinburgh, Bristol, Imperial, Oxford, Cambridge with courses from Medicine to History of Art.
Emanuel School: Creative Excellence and Academic Achievement
Emanuel School delivered exceptional results with over two-thirds of entries achieving A*-A grades and more than 30% at A*:
| Grade Level | Emanuel Result |
|---|---|
| A* grades | 30%+ |
| A*-A grades | 67%+ |
| Students with all A/A grades | 66 students (nearly half the year) |
Outstanding Achievements:
High “value-added” performance placing Emanuel among the country’s top schools
14 students achieved 3 A*s or more
100% A-A in all creative subjects* (Art, Drama, DT, Music, Photography)
Record EPQ performance: 97 students submitted with 49.5% achieving A*
Ark Putney Academy: State School Excellence
Ark Putney Academy delivered outstanding results demonstrating the strength of the state sector:
| Achievement | Ark Putney Result |
|---|---|
| A*-C grades | 52% |
| Top 20 university destinations | 24% of students |
| BTEC Distinction or higher | 64% (record-breaking) |
Notable Individual Achievements:
University destinations: Imperial, UCL, King’s, Cardiff, Bath, Exeter, Loughborough
Themis Grimault: AAAB in Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths → Imperial University Biochemistry
Elnaz Bahardoost: ABB Psychology → King’s College London (care system background)
Inshal Muzaffar: Awarded Ark bursary for Psychology studies
Results Awaited from Other Schools
Several prominent schools in the area are expected to publish their 2025 results soon. Here is a breakdown of South West London Schools.
| School | Location | Previous Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Ark Putney Academy (S) | Putney | 2025: 52% A*-C; 24% to Top 20 universities; BTEC: 64% Distinction+; individual success: AAAB to Imperial |
| Ashcroft Technology Academy (S) | Putney | Awarded State IB Secondary School of the Year 2025; 88% of sixth-form pupils secured Russell Group offers |
| Emanuel School (I) | Putney | In 2025, 30%+ A; 67%+ A/A; 66 students achieved all A*/A grades; 100% A*/A in creative subjects; record EPQ performance with 49.5% A*** |
| Ibstock Place School (I) | Roehampton | 2025: 52% A*-A; 85% A*-B; 80%+ Russell Group destinations; perfect scores in Religious Studies/Latin |
| Putney High School (GDST) (I) | Putney | In 2025, 38% A*; 78% A*/A; in 2024, 74% A*/A and 94% A*–B; strong Oxbridge and STEM results |
| Saint Cecilia’s C of E School (S) | Southfields | KS5: A-Level average C+; performance in top 42–43% nationally; value-added in academic outcomes |
| Southfields Academy (S) | Southfields | Celebrated A-Level success in key subjects such as Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Computing; many going to Russell Group universities |
S = State school
I = Independent school
Southwest London vs National Performance
The exceptional local results become even more impressive when compared to national and regional benchmarks:
Top Grade Comparison (A*-A)
Local results compared to national and regional benchmarks
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | School | Percentage A*-A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | Putney High School | 78.0 |
| 2 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | Emanuel School | 67.0 |
| 3 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | London Regional Average | 32.1 |
| 4 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | National Average | 28.2 |
| 5 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | Private Schools Average | 48.4 |
| 6 | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | putneynewsadmin | 15/08/2025 02:11 PM | State Schools Average | 25.2 |
| 7 | putneynewsadmin | 18/08/2025 09:36 PM | putneynewsadmin | 18/08/2025 09:36 PM | Ibstock Place School | 52.0 |
Grade Distribution Nationally (2025)
| Grade | National Percentage |
|---|---|
| A* | 9.3% |
| A*-A | 28.2% |
| A*-B | 54.1% |
| A*-C | 77.7% |
Historical Context: Post-Pandemic Grade Trends
Grade Inflation Timeline
| Year | A*-A Percentage | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 25.2% | Pre-pandemic baseline |
| 2021 | ~45% | Teacher assessments (peak inflation) |
| 2023 | 26.5% | “Return to standards” |
| 2024 | 27.6% | Continued increase |
| 2025 | 28.2% | Further increase despite claims of standardisation |
The 2025 results are 3 percentage points higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, indicating that attempts to return to previous grading standards have been only partially successful.
Regional Performance Across England
2025 A*-A Grade Distribution by Region
| Region | A*-A Percentage |
|---|---|
| London | 32.1% |
| South East | 31.2% |
| East of England | 28.0% |
| South West | 27.0% |
| England Average | 28.2% |
| North East | 22.9% |
London achieved the highest proportion of top grades, with Southwest London’s elite schools significantly exceeding even this elevated regional average.
Educational Inequality Persists
Performance Gap by School Type
| School Type | A*-A Percentage |
|---|---|
| Independent Schools | 48.4% |
| Selective State Schools | 44.0% |
| Free Schools | 31.3% |
| State Comprehensive | 25.2% |
| FE Colleges | 14.4% |
Private school students are nearly twice as likely to achieve top grades as their state school counterparts, highlighting persistent educational inequalities that affect university access and social mobility.
However, Ark Putney Academy’s 2025 results demonstrate that high-performing state schools can achieve exceptional outcomes, with 52% A*-C grades and 24% of students progressing to Top 20 universities.
Subject and Gender Trends
Most Popular A-Level Subjects (2025)
| Rank | Subject | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematics | Stable |
| 2 | Psychology | Declining entries |
| 3 | Biology | Rising |
| 4 | English Literature | Stable |
| 5 | Business Studies | Rising (new in top 5) |
| 6 | Physics | Rising (new in top 5) |
Gender Achievement Gap: For the first time since 2019, boys achieved slightly more top grades (28.4% A-A) than girls (28.0% A-A).
University Access and Clearing
The exceptional results come as universities report being keen to enrol UK students due to uncertainties around international student numbers. However, the concentration of top grades among elite schools means competition for prestigious university places remains intense.
Support Available:
- Grade Appeals: Priority deadline Thursday 21 August
- University Clearing: Open until 20 October
- Careers Advice: National Careers Service (0800 100 900)
Analysis: Southwest London’s Educational Excellence
The results from Putney High School, Emanuel School, and Ibstock Place School place the local area at the forefront of educational achievement. With results 2-4 times higher than national averages, these schools demonstrate what exceptional educational provision can achieve.
However, the outstanding performance of these elite institutions also highlights the stark inequalities in the UK education system, where postcode and school type dramatically influence academic outcomes and future opportunities.
As more results emerge from the area’s other schools in the coming days, Southwest London is set to cement its reputation as one of the world’s premier educational regions, while raising important questions about access, equity, and opportunity in British education.
This story will be updated as additional schools publish their 2025 A-level results.
